Metabolic syndrome is strongly associated with chronic subclinical inflammation in patients achieving optimal low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels in secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.
BACKGROUND
The dual goals of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and C-reactive protein (CRP) reduction are important for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, the relevant factors of subclinical inflammation in patients with optimal LDL-C were not clearly demonstrated. This study sought to test the hypothesis that the metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with subclinical inflammation in patients achieving optimal LDL-C.


RESULTS
A total of 227 Japanese subjects with a prior history of ischemic heart disease and optimal LDL-C (LDL-C <100 mg/dl) were enrolled. When compared with patients with low CRP (<0.1 mg/dl), those with a high CRP (> or =0.1 mg/dl) had a significantly higher prevalence of visceral obesity, elevated triglyceride, lower high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), hypertension, impaired fasting glucose, and a higher prevalence of MetS. A linear relationship between an increase in number of MetS components and CRP was observed (trend, p<0.001). In multivariate logistic analysis, visceral obesity (odds ratio 6.54; 95% confidence interval 2.99-14.3), low HDL-C (2.78; 1.09-7.12) and impaired fasting glucose (6.72; 3.30-13.7), and MetS (10.4; 5.18-20.7) were associated with higher CRP.


CONCLUSIONS
MetS is well associated with higher CRP concentrations in patients who achieved optimal LDL-C levels.
Matsuo
Yoshiki
Y
Division of Cardiology, Minami-Wakayama Medical Center, Tanabe, Japan.
Hashizume
Toshikazu
T
Shioji
Shusaku
S
Akasaka
Takashi
T
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D055502:Secondary Prevention
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D002097:C-Reactive Protein